Power Rankings: It may not last long, but 2-0 is 2-0

Updated Sept. 18

Do 2-0 starts automatically mean that a team should be in the top 10 of the CBSSports.com Power Rankings?

That's a question I pondered for two days. For some, like the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots, it's an automatic yes.

A 2-0 start is something that cheeseheads everywhere can get behind. (US Presswire)

But what about those surprise Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans and Detroit Lions? Are they legitimate top 10 teams considering there are only 10 2-0 teams in the league?

After 48 hours of thinking about it, I came to this conclusion: The first three deserve to be there, but the Lions started so far down that they're just on the outside.

OK, so the reality is that none of these teams are among the 10 best in the NFL. But the 2-0 starts give them reason to stake a claim -- for now.

What's more, shouldn't we let them bask in their success a little? That's especially true with the first three each having games this week against teams deservedly ranked in the top 10.

The Packers play host to the San Diego Chargers. The 49ers travel to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers, while the Houston Texans play host to the Indianapolis Colts. Of those six teams, the only team with a loss is the Chargers, a team some felt was the best in the NFL when the season started.

The likelihood is that one or two or even three of the surprise 2-0 teams will lose this week. I'm not saying they will -- you can't get that information until Friday's picks -- but they're all underdogs according to those wise guys who set the lines.

Would it be a shock if the Packers beat the Chargers? Not the way those two teams are playing. The Texans have played the Colts well, beating them late last season. If Andre Johnson can't play, it will be a tougher task. The 49ers have a real toughie, going on the road for a second consecutive week and facing a red-hot Steelers team.

Let's make this prediction now: At least one of the surprise 2-0 teams will lose.

Then there are the Lions. They're still outside the top 10 because I didn't believe Jon Kitna when he said they'd be good. If they beat the Eagles on the road this week -- which is certainly possible after watching the Eagles on Monday night -- it should vault them into the top 10.

I'm a little shocked the Washington Redskins are 2-0, but most aren't so they're not a real surprise 2-0 team.

Can you imagine if the Packers, Texans, 49ers and Lions all win this week? Nobody could argue against them being in the top of any power rankings.

What's next? A Mother of the Year award to Britney Spears? Bill Belichick admitting he cheats? The comments under my columns here actually being nice?

Maybe by season's end these surprise 2-0 starts will have long faded away. But here's betting that at least one of the four teams -- the Lions, Packers, Texans or 49ers -- finds a way to get into the playoffs.

They might not be top 10 power teams for long, but let them enjoy it for a while. Good things like this haven't happened to those teams for a long time.

Who am I to ruin their parties?

The Power Rankings after Week 2:

Power Rankings
Current		Team	Previous
	1	Titans · Trends	1
	If Kerry Collins plays like he did against the Bears, they will be a Super Bowl team. It's that simple. The passing game is the one area of this team that worried some.
	2	Giants · Trends	2
	They run it better than anybody, which controls the football. And when they get a lead they have a pass rush that can get after it. They're the best team, even if they are in the second spot here.
	3	Panthers · Trends	3
	Can I really put a team that had a quarterback throw for 72 yards and get picked four times in the third spot? At 7-2, you have to do it.
	4	Buccaneers · Trends	6
	Jon Gruden has to be thrilled with his 6-3 start and the way Jeff Garcia has played. We know the defense will be good.
	5	Redskins · Trends	7
	They come off the bye with a huge game against the Cowboys at home. They need to win it to try to keep pace with the Giants in the division -- or they will be taking the wild-card route.
	6	Patriots · Trends	10
	As Matt Cassel grows, they will only get better. They have two huge games in the next two weeks against the Jets at home and at Miami. Win them, and they will win the division.
	7	Jets · Trends	8
	They've done what they've been asked to do, which is beat up on a weak schedule. We'll know if they're any good Thursday after they play the Patriots.
	8	Cardinals · Trends	9
	They're going to the playoffs. Barring a late-season collapse of epic proportions, even by Cardinals standards, they will win the division. That means we'll get the treat of watching that offense more in the postseason.
	9	Cowboys · Trends	11
	The most important question in Dallas since Who shot JR is this: How's the pinkie? That's Tony Romo's pinkie.
	10	Falcons · Trends	12
	Matt Ryan isn't playing like a rookie, that's for sure. But the most impressive thing is how well the defense is playing. Brian VanGorder is doing a nice job with that unit.
	11	Colts · Trends	18
	The past two weeks have saved their season. They appear to be getting it right in time to make a second-half push.
	12	Steelers · Trends	4
	I worry about their passing game. Ben Roethlisberger isn't playing well. He needs to get it going or they'll be watching come playoff time.
	13	Ravens · Trends	14
	Joe Flacco is the real deal and the defense is playing good football. Nice job, John Harbaugh.
	14	Eagles · Trends	5
	They get the Bengals this week, which is a must-win if they are to have any chance to win the division. They're 0-3 against the NFC East, with two losses at home. That's not good enough.
	15	Vikings · Trends	19
	Will they ever get good quarterback play? Not with the group they have, which means it's all about Adrian Peterson and the defense.
	16	Bills · Trends	13
	Trent Edwards has cooled and so have the Bills. He just hasn't been smooth the past three weeks. The Bills are fading fast.
	17	Bears · Trends	15
	Get better, Kyle Orton. Soon. The offense isn't the same without you, and the Bears head to Green Bay this week.
	18	Dolphins · Trends	20
	They get Oakland at home, a game they should win, which will set up a huge division game in two weeks with the Patriots. Is that possible?
	19	Packers · Trends	16
	They lost two tough road games and now must try to regroup against division rival Chicago at home. One thing that is missing is the running game from last season.
	20	Broncos · Trends	21
	Here's the deal: Jay Cutler will have to win shootouts for this team to be in the playoffs. He's capable, that's for sure.
	21	Jaguars · Trends	23
	Jack Del Rio's tough talk worked against Detroit. But that's the Lions. We'll know if they're back for sure next week when they play the Titans.
	22	Saints · Trends	17
	At 4-5, they're in last place in the division. They still have games left against all three teams, but they better get it going.
	23	Chargers · Trends	24
	Even when they win, like they did Sunday, it's not pretty. The pass defense made Tyler Thigpen look like Len Dawson.
	24	Browns · Trends	22
	The change to Brady Quinn matters none if the defense can't stop anybody. Where is the pass rush or the coverage?
	25	Texans · Trends	25
	They are a different team without Matt Schaub. Sage Rosenfels just can't get it done. To think there was a controversy of sorts before the season between those two.
	26	Rams · Trends	26
	The past three games have taken the luster off Jim Haslett's first two games. That's what happens when the talent base isn't that good.
	27	Seahawks · Trends	27
	At least this time when they came east they didn't get blown out. Seneca Wallace played better, but their season is over.
	28	Bengals · Trends	28
	Coming out of the bye, coach Marvin Lewis just might be playing for his job. At least his team showed life the last time out.
	29	Raiders · Trends	29
	They did play better on defense against the Panthers. Now we'll see if it holds up on a long road trip to Miami.
	30	49ers · Trends	30
	They battled Monday night, which has to make feisty Mike Singletary happy. The good thing is some young players are starting to step up.
	31	Chiefs · Trends	31
	Tyler Thigpen has played well the past couple of weeks. The next seven games should be to find out if he can be a long-term answer.
	32	Lions · Trends	32
	Drew Stanton should play the rest of the season. They have to see what he can do. If not, they need to hope Matt Stafford comes out.